13 Jun 2022

Army Dive Team restores vital district asset

“The highest risk and resource-intensive Mission Essential Task (MET) we collectively train on is port opening and harbor clearance,” 511th Engineer Dive Detachment Commander Cpt. Olivia Schretzman said. “If we do not provide accurate infrastructure assessments, open ports, repair bridge sections, or clear obstacles in inland waterways, we negatively impact all sustainment and maneuver operations. It is a no-fail mission.” Schretzman commands the 511th Engineer Dive Detachment, a 25-Soldier team that deploys worldwide, performing complex and dangerous engineer tasks at depths of up to 190 feet. Schretzman explained that simulating a damaged bridge is a difficult task, so when the Memphis District reached out for assistance, both parties would benefit from the job. “The Ensley Engineer Yard had a partially sunken bridge that needed repairs, and we needed high-intensity port opening training,” Schretzman said. “This operation became known as Operation Mississippi Freedom.”

2 Jun 2022

Employee Spotlight: Work for Others Technical Manager Jordan Bledsoe

“My grandfather had always said, ‘Get a job with the Corps’. That wasn’t always the goal, but funny to see how it worked out,” Jordan Bledsoe said. Bledsoe’s grandfather knew what he was talking about too, because he “actually built some of the levees in the St. Francis Basin, ultimately leading to the Huxtable Pumping Station.” Jordan Bledsoe didn’t know it at the time, but his grandfather had planted the seed that would eventually lead to his becoming the Engineering and Construction’s Work for Others (WFO) Technical Manager that he is today.

27 May 2022

Carpenter Crowther promoted to Project Management Branch Project Manager Supervisor

Congratulations to Ms. Andrea Carpenter Crowther on her promotion to the Project Manager Supervisor position (Planning Team) in the Project Management Branch. 

20 May 2022

Castle Cookers serve up fellowship, camaraderie with BBQ at Memphis in May

The Memphis District has been competing in this barbeque contest for years, with the Castle Cookers first participating in the WCBCC in 1991 as the Pork Barrel Barbecuers. This year made year 31, with the team for the Memphis District Corps of Engineers comprising of workers from all parts of the district. “We’re a ‘for us by us’ team, which plans, fundraises, cooks, serves, and competes in the Memphis in May (MIM) event every year,” Outreach Coordinator Brian Schneider explained.

16 May 2022

Completed Below Island 9 Project to benefit navigation industry, public

Congratulations to the Memphis District Below Island 9 Project Delivery Team for achieving total project completion on May 6, 2022. The project area, located in Lake County, Tennessee, was identified as a low water problem spot by local partners in the navigation industry. This area has been dredged by the Memphis District’s Dredge Hurley in 2020 and 2021, yet the problem spot persisted. To come up with a long term solve, a project delivery team came together to complete a dike construction project.